Fiji Suva Mission

July 2009 - December 2010

Nasinu 1st Ward

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Wow,

Things are crazy here in Fiji! We are in the middle of the first Cyclone of the year. It is called Mick and is wild. The winds are 120 miles an hour and the rain is like I never thought could happen. This will be our way of getting in the spirit of Christmas!(I think I miss snow.) We are seeing lots of Elders getting sick and it is wearing us out going to the private Suva clinic. I love the sight of fresh boils and wonderful looking rashes! Oh dear excuse me a minute I have to go and tie the pig and chickens to our palm tree so we have something to eat after the storm!

My weeks are flying by as I get calls all hours of the day giving me the heart warming news of another truck or car has been smashed. My favorite thing to do in my spare time is read the accident reports sent in telling me how things just get in the Missionaries way. Like my favorite this week was a call explaining how this large pole jumped out of no where and crushed the rear end of the Elders truck! Funny I thought that is why the driving handbook says always have your companion get out of the car and help the driver back you up. But Elder Seare he was helping me back up and I lost sight of him so I hurried and went faster to help get him back in my sights!I must say I was horrible with being patient before I came out here, but now I just yawn and ask Sister Seare How Elder Rabukawaqa's dungee fever is while listening to an Elder tell me on the phone he just nailed a moving coconut tree in his super charged 4x4 Hilux Toyota truck!

Well enough about physical things lets move on to Spiritual. Remember our Bishop I was telling you about? He last fast and testimony meeting stood and gave a very powerful testimony and asked the members to please forgive his ups and downsand being late to most meetings. He bore a beautiful testimony and I felt like all we are trying to do to help the ward is worth the effort when I hear something like that. The members came in droves to the pulpit all giving some of the best testimonies I have ever heard. I just love the spirit of the Holy Ghost as he prompts us to do good things.

Becky and I have been sick this week and it is hard to feel 100% doing the Lords work. I feel the work still goes on because we get help to still keep going. (Wait a minute there goes the palm tree I just tied dinner to!) This storm is really something. The wind sounds like a deep rumble and strange noises are coming from our building.

If there is anything I could say about our Mission it would be that we have grown more in 5 months than we did in years back home. Is a Mission easy? NO. Is a Mission worth the struggles? Absolutely YES. We feel the spirit more in our lives and we have learned to love these Sisters and Elders we serve. I admire their strength and purpose for doing the Lords work.We were blessed being able to go out at this time of our life. I am glad I am here while being young enough to have the strength and health to do the work. I also realize how much I owe to all of my church teachers and leaders over my life time. What they taught and gave of themselves to me is paying of in a big way. I often pull from years of church trainingprinciples that I learned to help those here who need the help. If you ever wonder if your job in the church is making an impact on anyone I would say it is. We often think success is measured by titles of jobs we hold. I say that is furthest from the truth. It is often the primary teacher, ward clerk, Activities committee member, or any type of secretary, that keep the church functioning. We are not judged by position we are judged and blessed by our willingness to be of service to our Father in Heaven and Savior. When we serve with love we receive blessings of being loved. We pray you all have a peaceful and spiritual Christmas for Christ is who will make it happen if we just remember him and all he does for us with love.